Ernst august behrens



(No Model.)

E. A. BEHRENS- BLEAGHING AND REPINING RBSI'NSAND oTHERj-SUBSTANGBS..

y 1\o.395,731.v Patented'JanpS, 1889.

ENS,

UNI-TED STATES [PATENT OFFICE. I

' ynnnsrAUGUST BEHRENS, or BREMEN, GERMANY.'

BLEAoi-nnc AND RFINING RESINS AND-OTHER sum1-ANGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,731, dated 'mi iled October 31, 1885. Serial No. 181,548. (No model.) Patented in Germany June 7,

September 19,1885, No. 11,177, and in Belgium September 21, 1885, No. 70,362.

anni

.To aZZ whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNST AUGUST BEHR- doctor of philosophy, -a subject of the King of Prussia, residing at Bremen, in the Empire of Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bleachingr and'Relining `Resinsl and Similar Substances, (for which I have received Letters Patent in Gerinany, dated .lune 7, 1885, No. 35,030; in England, dated' September 19, 1885, No. 11,177,` and in Belgium, dat-ed September 21, 1885,

No. 70362,) of which the following isa specil cation. I

This invention relates to a new process for bleaching and purifying orlrefning resinsand similansubstances, especially colophony, in order that the resin may be rendered clear without altering the properties thereof.

The purification and removal from the resin of the discoloriug material is best eiected under t-he following conditions: First, the resin must be reduced to a thin liquid condition; second, the decolorizing process must be carried on at a temperature below the melting-point of the resin, and, third, it must -be possible to entirely remove the bleaching substances after having acted upon the resin. To meet these conditions I dissolve the resin to be refined in a solvent having a low boiling-point, and one which does not readily mix with water-such, for instance, as bisulphide of carbon, sulphuric ether, wood alcohol, naphtha, or the like.

' The process may in general terms be said to consist of the following steps: irst,dis solving the resin to be refined in a highlyvolatile solvent, which does not mix with Water; second, decolorizing. the resin so dissolved in substantially the manner followed in decolorizing ordinary mineral oils; third, separating the decolorizing agents from the resin in solution; fourth, separating the bleached resin' from the solvent and reconverting the latter without essential loss.'

I first dissolve the resin in a highly-volatile solvent-as for instance, naphtha-by combining the same in a closed vessel. The resin will be completely dissolved thereby, while the impurities -and coloring-matters will remain undissolved, and will be removed from January 8, 1889. '1895, No. 35,030, nnngnna The decolorizing of the resin is effected by the action of a reagent-such as a highlyconcentrated soda or potashlye, by sulphuric acid, or by washing with water. By combining such caustic lye with the' dissolved resin at a temperature below' the melting-point of the latter I am enabled to use only a small quantity of the lye, which dissolves or destroys the coloring-matter, while only a very small o'luantityv of the resin is chemically affected thereby. I thereby separate the dyestui from the resin without saponifying the latter, which would be the case werefthe resin and caustic lye mixed at a higher temperature. The perfect separation of the lye, which formy purpose is absolutely necessary, is only possible by reason ofthethinlyliquid condition of the resin at alow teinperaf ture. This enables me to use small quantities of sulphuric acid in order to furtherde stroy the coloring-matter without aecting the mass of resin itself, in a similar Way to that followed in bleaching mineral oils,A and without the discoloration which would be consequent upon ahigher temperature, were it ern-x p'loyed.

The whole process is particularly important .i

in that the dissolvent is recovered in a practically unaltered condition and nearly Without loss, while the temperature is -at no time so vraised as to cause the materials to be by the heat changed to a darker .or objectionable hue. It results, therefore, that only dissolvents having a low boiling-point may be employed, and that they should be used-in closed apparatus, so that loss can be avoided, which would otherwise occur air contained in the apparatus charged with,

the volatile dissolvent. For this reason I disL pense with the use of pumps for transporting the liquids from one part of the apparatus to another and employ in place thereof atmospheric pressure, in a manner to be hereinafter described.

, In order that the process may be better un*- by the escape of the .9o

derstood, I `will describe an apparatus adapted y to carry out the same. l

In .the drawings, Figure 1 represents an arrangement of above process, and Fig. 2 a detail.

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apparatus for performing the A is the receptacle for the resin to be puri f lied.

B, C, and 'D are purifiers.

His a clarifier.

C is a boiler.

L is an air-pump.,

Q is-an exhaustion or low-pressure pipe connected to the air-pump.

K is a compression'or connected to the pump.

J is a closed tank for the solvent; ll, a re ceiver for the alkali. j f

N is a worm for condensing the-solvent and connected to the tank M.

is a receiver connected with thel worm.

P is a decomposing-vessel connected with the tank.

E E is the d istilling apparatus, containing 'a series of connected steam-pipes and leading from the clarifier H and ycommunicating with liiglbpressure pipe lthe boiler. G.

Fis the condensing apparatus leading from the distilling apparatus E, andadapted -to be cooled by water or otherwise, and leadingi to i e havin@ a cock ,3G and communicates D P e thetank J. .f

R isa .worm connected to the .boilerg, and

S is a receivercommunicating with the worm R and the tank J.

The' receiver Ais provided with an inletfrom its upper part with the pipe K by means of a pipe, 107 having a cock, and with the pipe Q by means of a pipe, 108, having a cock,

l. The low-'er part ofthe receiver A communicates with the pipe K by means ofv a pipe, 10 6, provided with a cock, 4, and with the bottom of the tank J by means 'of a pipe, 105, provided with a cock, 2. The pump L is connected to thepipe K by a branch pipe, 130, and to the pipe Q bya branch pipe, 120.

The receiver A communicates with the receiver-B, which is coated with lead, by a pipe, 118, provided with a cock, 5, and extending from the bottom of the receiver to the bottom of' the purifier B. The purifier B is provided with a water-inlet pipe, X, having a cock, 9, and is connected near its vupper end with an air-exhaust pipe, 112, leading to the pipe Q and having cocks 8 and v21, and also providedN below the cock 2l with a branch pipe having a cock, 20,.and connected to the upper portion of the purifier-C. y The purifier Bis fur` ther provided with an air-inlet pipe, ll1,.hav\

ingcocks 7 -and 35, and below the cock 35 a branch pipe, 114, having a cock, 34, and leading to the lower part of the purifier C, the said pipe 1 11 communicating with the pipe K. A pipe, 113, having a cock, 19, connects the lower parts of the purifiers B and C.

The bottomof the purifier B is connected to thereceiver Il by means of a pipe having,

a cock, 10, al glass vessel, 115, below the cock 10, and a pipe with a cock, 11, below the glass vessel. The receiver M has a steam -inlet pipe, 109, and has leading from its lower portion a pipe, 127, provided with a cock,'15, and communicating with the decomposing vessel P.

I) by Aa pipe, 120, provided with a cock, 22.

The bottom of the purifier C isconnected to a glassvessel,1l7, by a pipe containing a cock, 16; and a pipe containing a cock, 18,.

leads from the said glass vessel and connects above the saidcock 18 with a pipe, 119,1eading to the upper part of 'the purifier D, and

lprovided with a cock, 17.

' The purifierD communicates with the pipe K by a pipe, 139,' opening near the bottom of the said purifier and provided with a cock,

videdwith a cock, 25,and`openi1ig near the top of said purifier. The purifier D is also provided at, the bottom with an outlet con'- trolledby a cock, 23, and communicates with. the clarifier H 'by means of a pipe, 121, pro- -v'ided with a cock, 27, and leading from the vlower portion'of the Vpurifier to the upper portion of the clarifier. The'purifierl') is also trolled by acock, 24.

The clarifier l-l is provided The purifier (his connected at the upper end with the purifier A2 6, and with the' pipe Q by a pipe, 138, proc y provided with a water-inlet pipe, 126, conwith a pipe, 122,

having a cock, 30, for the admission of steam or air, andI also .communicates with the pipe Q bymeans of a pipe, 123, having 'a cock, 28, and opening into the said clarifier near the top thereof'.` Extending from the bottom off` the IOO clarifiery to the top'of' thedistillingapparatus E is a pipe, '124, provided with a cock, 29. The distilling apparatus E communicates near the top with a cooling apparatus, F, by means of a pipe, 125, and the said coolingapparatns is connected at the lower 'end with the tank J by a pipe,133, provided with a cock,32.y

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The lower end of the distilling apparatus is connected to vthe boiler G byfa pipe, 134,

-'provided with a cock, 31.

The boiler G, which has a suitable.. furnace, so that the direct heat of a fire maybe appliecommunicates with'the upper end of the Vworm Rby means ofra pipe, 136and the lower end of the said worm Rcommunicates with the receptacle S, which latter is connected by apipe, 135, provided with a cock, 33, to the tank J, and bya pipe provided with a cock,

` 37, lto the pipe Q.

The tank J is connected to the pipe K bya pipe, 137, provided with a cock, 3, and with the pipe Q AbyQa pipe, 132, provided with a cock, 14.

In Fig. 2 I have represented in-detail a means of' closing the receivers or vessels A, B, C,D, G,and `H and shownat a b c, dac., which consists of a cap, a, with an annular flange. adapted to rest in an annular cup,

some1 A l fr urrou'nding the opening in 'each of the said 'essels This cup contains a steam-pipe, y, .nd is -iilled with an easily-fused' alloy whichA v'ilVret-ain the cap when' cold, but maybe used by the heat of the'steain to permit einov'al of the cap. n

In carrying out my process by the appa- 'atus I have shown l proceed asfollows, it ieing understood that all the cocks are closed: Phe resin to be refined is placed in the recepia-cle A and the cap applied and sealed. The ock 1 inthe pipe 108, leading from the recep- :acle to the pipe Q, and the cock 3 in pipe L37, leading from the pipe K tothe receptacle I, are opened and the pump L is operated, exhausting the air from the receptacle A and compressing it into the Vessel J. The cock 2 in pipe 105, leading from the vessel J to the vesselA, is opened, and the compressed air in the vessel J iorces the lsolvent contained therein into the vessel A, containing the resin. The cocks 2 and 3 are then closed, and the cock 4 in pipe 10,6,leading Vfrom 4the pipe K to the vessel A, is opened, thus permitting the air exhausted from the vessel A' to be forced into the lower portion thereof,`and thereby serve to agitate the resin .and solvent and fa-v cilitate the solution of the resin `in the said solvent. 'An alkali--suchv as highly-concen-'r trated soda or potash lye-is then introduced into the Vessel A andthe mass heated and agitated by steam entering through the pipe in which is located the cock 36. The cooks 1 and 4 are then closed, and the cocks 21 and 8 in the pipe 112,-leading from the upper portion of the purifierB to the pipe Q,- the cock 6 in the 'pipe 107, leading from the vessel Ato the pipe K, andthe cock r in the pipe 118, leading vtrom the lower part of the vessel A to the lower partv of the pin'ifier lB, are'opened. The pump L then exhausts Vinto thevessel is closed when a the` air from' the purifier B .and forces it A, thus causing the solution to flow from the vessel A into the purifier B. The cocks 5 and Gare thenclosed water admitted to the purifier B through the pipe X by opening cock 9, which cock suicient quantity of water is obtained and the mass heated. The cocks and 7l in the pipe 111, leading from the lower part of the pu riier B to the pipe K,

- are then opened, and the air being forced into purifier through the lower portion of the said purifier and exhausted from the upper portion thoroughly agitates the mass contained therein. The lye serves vto separate the 'impurities from the resin solution, and after the mass in the purifier B has been allowed to rest, the cocks 35, 7, 21, and 8 being closed, the water, vthe 1ye,`the impurities, and a portion of:l the solv ent -absorbed. thereby are drawn from the said the glass vessel 105 into the manipulating the cocks 10 and 11 above and below said glass vessel. Steam is introducedinto the receiver M through thp pipe 109, and, heating the contents, he solvent is volatilized and passes receiver MA by the toinot the purifier C, is

and'

18 is closed.

through the pipe 116 to the worm N, is there condensed and passes to the `vessel O, and fronilthence to the vessel J through the pipe 7o 131 and the cock 13. The upper portion of the vessel O being connected by the pipe 120,

provided with the cock 12, to the exhaustpipe Q, when the said' cock 12 is opened the air within the vessel 0, worm' N, and receiver M 75 is rarefied and the volatilizatiou of thesolvent facilitated. Att-er the separation of the solvent from the lye solution `in the receiver M, the cock 12 is closed and the residue drawn from the receiver M through the pipe 127, pro- 8o vided with the cock 15, which is opened for the purpose, to the decomposing-vessel P, in which the lye may be separated from the resin impurities in any suit-able manner and prepared to be used again. After the lye solution is withdrawn from the purifier B, the cock 8 and the cock 20 in the branch pipe leading from the pipe 112 to the purifier C and the cocks 35 and. 7 in the pipe`111 areopened;

also, the cock 19 in the pipe 113, connecting 9o the lower portions of the purifiers B and C, is opened. 'lhe air being exhausted from the purifier through the pipe 112 and com- I pressed into the purifier .B through the pipe y 111, the purified resin solution passes from 1 the purifier li to the purifier C, in' which is Aplaced a suitable decoloring orbleaching substance-such as sulph uric acid. The cock19 in the pipe 113 and the cock 35 in thev pipe f.

.111 arethen' closed, and the cock Bgin theioo pipe Alleleading from the pipe 111 to the b0tn opened. The air is: thereby exhausted from the top and enters at the bottom of the purifier C, thus thoroughly agit-ating the resin solution, which is at -the 1o54 saine time heated by steam or otherwise, after which the mass is permitted to rest for a time," the jcocks being all closed. The decoloring matter is then drawn from the purifier 'C by opening the cock 16 in the short pipe leading li io. from the bottom of the puriiier to the glass vessel 117'- and opening the cock 18 in the outlet-pipe from said vessel. v When the decoloring matter has been all removed from Vthe purifier, as will be indicated 1 i 5 by its appearance in the glass vessel, the cock The cock 17 in the pipe 119, which leads 'from the pipe 'between the glass vessel and the cock 18 to the upper portion of the purifier D, and the cock 22 in thevpip'er 2o' 120, connectingthe upper parts of the puri-f fiers C and D, Iare opened, when the decolored solution in the purier (E will flow into the purifier D, the air passing to the purifier C' through the pipe 120. The cocks 16, 17,/and 22 are then closed.

The solution in the purifier D is heated by steam or otherwise, and water is introduced through the pipe 126, provided with the cock 2i. The cock 26 in the pipe 139, leading from x 3o the pipe K to the lower part of the puriiier D, and the cock 25 in the pipe 138 are'opened, thus exhausting the airfrom the upper portionof the purifier and forcing air into/the lower portion thereof, thus thoroughly agif tating the solution. ,"lhe water is then removed by opening the cock 23.

The cock 25 in the pipe 38 being closed and' the cock 26 in Ithe pipe 139 remaining openj the c'ock 27 in the pipe l2l,leading from the purifier D 'to the clarifier` H, and the cock 28 in the pipe 123, leading from the pipe Q to the clarifier H, are opened, thus admitting air to the puriiieirbl) and exhausting the air from the clarifier H, causing the solution t0 flow from the said purifier int-o the said clarifier. The cocks are then closed and the solution subjected to heat to clarify it.

By openingnthe cock 30 and the cock 29 the contents of the clarifier will flow into the distilling 'apparatus E, and after the cocks 29 and 30 -arefclfcsed and the cock 32 in the pipe .133 opened it is subjected to 'the action of heat by m'e'ans of the steam-pipes in said distillin'g apparatus, driving from the solution Vthe greater portion bf the volatile solvent,

which is condensedin the cooling apparatus F,and,through the pipe 133, ows into the tank-J. The cock 3l in the pipe 134 being opened,.the purified and bleached resin carrying with it a portion of the solvent, will flow through the said pipe into the boiler G. The cock 31 being-closedfand the cock 37 opened, so as to exhaust the air from the boiler G, and the contents of the boiler subjected to the heat of a fire, the remaining solvent will be driven from the resin, and, passing throughthe pipe 136 to the worm R, will be condensed and l'low into the receiver S. The cock 37 being closed and the cock 33' in the pipe 135 opened the solvent will flow to the tank J. The resin may then be removed from the boiler C and placed in casks orother receptacles. i

I am aware that it is not new in refining resins to dissolve the crude resin in a menstruum-such as spirits of turpentine-and add an alkali to correct the acidity of the resin, th'en filter the solution, pump it into a still, and separate the solvent from the resin by distillation; but my invention is distinguished from such method in that after treating the resigis with. the solvent and the reagent, vdiich latter removes the impurities from the solution, I then separate the reagents from the solution and recover them for reuse, then separate the solvents from the resins and recover' them for reuse, thus refining the resins without any lossof the solvents or reagents. I also control .the movements of the solutions by the compression and exhaustion of the air, being thus enabled to use a single air-pump for moving the solutibns through the various parts of the apparatus inwhich I carry out my process. I claimto this specification in the 1. The within-described process ofv bleaching and refining resins and other similar substances,'consisting in dissolving the same in a volatile substance having a low boilingpoint, mixing the solution with an alkali .to separate the impurities, removing the alkali with the impurities from the solution, and

finally recovering thel solvent and depositing the resin by evaporation, substantially as described.

2. The within-described process of bleaching and refining resins and other'similar substances, consisting in first dissolving the same in a volatile substance, then mixing the solution with an alkali to separate the impurities, then removing the alkali and impurities'from tltesolution, and then recovering the solvent and depositing the resin by'evaporation, the movement of the'substances during the several steps of the process being controlled by the compression and exhaustion of confined air, substantially as described.

3. The within-described process of,u bleaching and refining resins and other similarsubstances, consisting iniirst dissolving the same in a volatile substance, then mixing the solution with an alkali to separate the impurities, then removing the alkali and impurities from the solution, then mixing with the solution a 'suitable bleaching agent and removing the latter, and iinally separating the resin and solvent by evaporation and' recovering the latter, substantially as described.

l 4. In an apparatus for bleaching and refining resins, the combination of the receptacle A, in which the resin is dissolved, a series of purifiers wherein the resin solution is subjected vto decolorizing substances, the pipes leading from the purifiers, through which the decolorizing substances and the impurities are drawn olf, the distilling apparatus for removing the solvent from the resin, the connecting-pipes between the said parts of the apparatus, whereby the resin solution passes in succession from one to the other, the pump' having both high and low pressure connections With each of the" purifiers, and stopcocks in thetsaid connections, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 5. In an apparatus for bleaching and purifying, the combination, with the purifyingvessels, of a cap for closing the same, a channel for the reception of a fusible alloy, and a steam-pipe located in said channel, substantially as described.

Intestimony whereof I have signed myname presence of two subscribing witnesses. l

ERNST AUGUST B EHRENS. lVitnesses: A

CARL URGUVITTER, t FRIEDRICH LUDWIG UNDERTICH.

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